Northernmost Tiran reef with Sharm's fastest drift dive, a coral aquarium at 5-12m, and seasonal hammerheads off the northern tip Aug-Oct.
Last updated April 2026
Rusting metal breaks the surface ahead of the boat. That is the Lara, and below it lies Jackson Reef. The dive begins at fixed moorings on the sheltered south side, where coral columns rise from a sandy plateau in the Aquarium section. This is the gentle face of Jackson: 5 to 12 metres of reef fish density that earned the name. Anthias, butterflyfish, and garden eels on the sand below keep new divers occupied.
Head north along the eastern face and everything changes. The wall steepens, gorgonian fans and black coral trees appear, and the current picks up. In strong flow, this becomes Jackson Drift. One instructor who has dived it both ways called it "a gentle potter about" on calm days and "flying over the gardens in seconds" when the current runs. Red-toothed triggerfish fill the midwater in schools thick enough to obscure the blue beyond.
At 27-28m on the eastern wall, look for a rare red anemone specimen. It is a known photography stop. From here, the wall continues deeper than recreational limits allow.
Jackson Reef has a split personality that no other Tiran site matches. The Aquarium section could pass for a beginner site on a windless morning. The eastern wall, minutes later, delivers the fastest drift dive in the Sharm area. Few sites offer both extremes on a single dive.
Then there are the hammerheads. From August to October, divers descend off the northern tip into open blue water at 30m or deeper, scanning below for schooling scalloped hammerheads. This is a different dive entirely: no reef reference, strong current, and no guarantee of a sighting. It requires experience and a willingness to push limits safely.
Conditions at Jackson change fast. A dive that starts calm at the southern moorings can become a strong drift by the time you reach the east wall. Carry a DSMB and be ready to deploy it. Only round the eastern point if your guide agrees beforehand.
The "washing machine" between Jackson and Woodhouse reefs produces dangerous eddies in strong wind. If your guide says the conditions are marginal, trust that assessment. Nitrox is worth having for the deeper wall sections. Budget 45-60 minutes, but air management matters more than the clock here.
What makes this dive site stand out.
Eastern wall current creates the area's most exhilarating drift dive when running
Scalloped hammerhead schools off the northern tip, Aug to Oct, at 30m+ in blue water
Sheltered south side coral garden at 5-12m, accessible to Open Water divers in calm conditions
Rusting remains of a 1981 Cypriot freighter mark the reef's northern edge above and below water
Clouds of red-toothed triggerfish and bannerfish fill the water column along the wall
28.0058°N, 34.4713°E
Summary
Southern Aquarium is moderate in calm conditions. Eastern wall drift and northern tip currents are advanced. Conditions change during a single dive.
Safety considerations
What can go wrong here, and what divers do about it. Conditions change - take the briefing from the operator on the day.
Multi-day safari boats with this site on their itinerary.
41m, 26-guest wooden liveaboard running Master Liveaboards' full Egyptian Red Sea catalogue from Hurghada and Port Ghalib, from northern wrecks and Tiran through the offshore Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone to the far-south Rocky, Zabargad and St John's reefs.
38m, 26-guest wooden sister to Blue Horizon running the identical Master Liveaboards Egyptian Red Sea catalogue, from northern wrecks and Tiran through the offshore Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone to the Deep South, from Hurghada and Port Ghalib.
26-guest sister of Superior with Junior and Executive suites, ranging across Emperor's Egypt catalogue from northern wrecks and offshore Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone to the Deep South.
13-cabin, 26-guest wooden liveaboard running Emperor's northern Red Sea wreck-and-reef weeks from Hurghada, plus offshore Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone.
Red Sea Explorers' largest liveaboard: 37.5m, 28 guests across 14 cabins, running the same GUE-leaning offshore and deep-south Egypt route catalogue.
Red Sea Explorers' tech flagship: a 37m, 22-guest steel liveaboard with a full trimix/CCR fill station and scooters for offshore and deep-south Egypt safaris.
43m, 24-guest liveaboard built 2016, running Blue Planet's named Egypt routes from Hurghada and Port Ghalib, from northern wrecks and Tiran through Brothers, Daedalus and the Zabargad-Rocky Deep South, with free nitrox.
48.5m new-build luxury liveaboard for up to 28 guests, launched 2023, running All Star's Northern and Southern Red Sea routes from Hurghada, with Thistlegorm and Ras Mohammed wrecks in the north and the Brothers, Daedalus, Elphinstone, Rocky Island and St John's offshore.
Tiran marine park fee ~EUR15 per person per trip, plus $10 USD marina fee. Some centres include park fees in trip price; budget operators may charge separately.
August through October is the hammerhead season. Divers swim off the northern tip into blue water at 30m or deeper, looking for schooling scalloped hammerheads below. Sightings are not guaranteed. AOW certification is the minimum, and a DSMB is essential given the currents.
The southern Aquarium section is accessible to competent OW divers in calm conditions with guide supervision. Depths there range from 5 to 12m with sheltered water. The eastern wall drift and hammerhead dives are advanced territory and require AOW.
When the current runs along the eastern wall, Jackson Drift is described as Sharm's fastest and most exhilarating drift dive. Divers fly past gorgonians, black coral, and dense fish shoals. Speed and intensity depend on the day. A DSMB and prior briefing with your guide are essential.
The Lara was a Cypriot merchant vessel that ran aground on Jackson's northern edge in December 1981 after running out of fuel. Most of the hull was salvaged for scrap and further demolished in 1996. Today the rusting skeletal remains serve as a navigation marker and a visual landmark during safety stops.
Jackson Reef is in the Straits of Tiran, a 1-2 hour boat ride from Sharm. Access is by day boat or liveaboard only. Weather is the gatekeeper: prevailing north winds can close the entire Tiran sector to boats on rough days.
Jackson is the northernmost of four Tiran reefs. It stands out for the fastest drift dive in Sharm, the Aquarium coral garden, and seasonal hammerheads. Gordon Reef offers the easiest diving and night dives. Thomas Reef has a longer continuous wall. All four share similar marine life but each has a distinct personality.
Year-round residents include red-toothed triggerfish in dense midwater schools, bannerfish, barracuda, Napoleon wrasse, groupers, and lionfish. A rare red anemone at 27-28m on the eastern wall is a photography target. In summer, hammerheads are the draw. Sea turtles and reef sharks are possible but not common.
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